And from an early age, Elias Lindholm was determined to follow those skate strides to hockey’s highest level.

“Growing up, teammates and stuff like that when you were really young always knew that my dad was an NHL player,” said Lindholm, now a top-line talent for the Calgary Flames. “So early on, my dream started to be an NHL player. And I made it here. But along the way, he was huge for me.”

Several years before Elias was even born, Mikael Lindholm skated for part of the 1989-90 campaign with the Los Angeles Kings.

His teammates during that stint included Hockey Hall of Fame shoo-ins Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille and Larry Robinson. In fact, The Great One assisted on his first career tally.

Lindholm totalled two goals and a pair of helpers in 18 loggings with the Kings. The left-handed forward finished that season in the minors, then toiled the next winter with the International Hockey League’s Phoenix Roadrunners before heading home.

When Elias arrived in 1994, Mikael was still earning his paycheques in Sweden’s pro ranks. Now in his seventh season in the NHL, including his second in Calgary, the 24-year-old son has long since cemented his status as the most prominent puckster from this particular family.

“Once in a while, the stories come out and he’ll tell you some,” Elias said of Mikael prior to Tuesday’s clash with the Kings at the Saddledome. “It’s always fun to hear the good old stories. It was a little different back then, but it’s always a fun time when he starts going.”

These are not just fairytales. There are slivers of evidence online, too.

In fact, one of Mikael’s hockey cards — he is pictured on the front in No. 51, while there is a PSA from Smokey the Bear on the flip-side — is currently available on eBay for 99 cents US.

“I saw some clips when he played the finals back home in Sweden, in 1996,” Elias said. “The hockey was a little different back then — a lot of hooking and slashing and stuff like that. So I prefer the hockey right now.”

Tuesday’s pre-game topic du jour at the Saddledome was an impressive start to the season for the Flames’ top trio of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Lindholm.

Heading into the matchup with the Kings, those gents had accounted for five of Calgary’s six goals so far and combined for 10 points, although there is another measure that head coach Bill Peters continues to harp on and that is why he was especially pleased with what he witnessed in Saturday’s shutout victory against the Vancouver Canucks.

“They know they have to be responsible, they have to be good away from the puck and they can’t give up as much as they generate,” Peters said after Tuesday’s morning skate. “We want them to be positive in the chances for and chances against. If they generate six, you can’t give up six. We need that line to be generating six and giving up three or maybe two. So better defensively, better away from the puck. And it’s no secret the better you are defensively, then you’re going to have it more. You’re going to be able to play in the offensive zone more.

“I thought they did a good job of that (Saturday). I thought Mony was physical. I thought Johnny was committed away from the puck, tracking back hard. If we get our whole crew doing that, we’ll be fine.”

Peters never mentioned Lindholm in that answer.

Because Mikael’s boy is one of the most reliable and trusted forwards on Calgary’s roster. The boss rarely has to worry about the man in No. 28.

“(Lindholm) is great in the defensive zone,” Gaudreau praised. “He’s a smart player. He blocks a ton of shots. He’s on the PK, obviously. He’s a great face-off guy. And he has a ton of offensive ability and sees the ice really well, so it’s just a great fit for us.

“Anytime you put a smart player who plays well in the defensive zone, he’s going to help you throughout the season and he’s going to help you at times throughout the game. Whether you’re doing something wrong or right, he’s going to let me know. So he’s been great for me. I love playing with him. He’s a great teammate and a really, really good player.”

Bill Buford spoke about moving to Lyon with his family for a year to write Dirt, and then staying five, about their lives now in New York, and the future ...

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